Because the city’s water supply is stretched thin at best, Bear Republic is stuck at making only around 65,000 barrels of beer, or about 2 million gallons, every year. That means that while similar standout breweries, such as Lagunitas, New Belgium and Oskar Blues, reach for national distribution, Bear Republic is stuck in the second rank of breweries by size, despite the public’s love of the company’s brews, such as Racer 5.

Under the new deal, however, Bear Republic will front most or all of the $460,000 cost for the city to drill two new wells. That clears the way for Bear Republic to expand (the brewpub is in Healdsburg, but all but a trickle of the beer is made in a bigger brewery in Cloverdale). Brewmaster Richardo Norgrove told me last week that he’d like to see the brewery at 200,000 barrels per year, roughly triple its current output. That would allow Bear Republic to vault into the top ranks of breweries, competing with the likes of Stone Brewing and Harpoon and vaulting over big names such as Dogfish Head and Boulevard. That could mean that Bear Republic could find itself at or near the top 10 craft brewers in terms of volume. In 2012, it was a mere 34 on the Brewers Association list.

And that would mean that humble little Sonoma County could have two breweries in the top 10 at some point, including Lagunitas, currently at #6, though likely to go even higher next year.

About This Blog

A resident of Santa Rosa for most of his life, Peter Lopez Jr., 34, has taken over the duties of beer blogger for the Press Democrat. He has been a part of the beer and wine industry for almost his entire adult life and brings a wealth of knowledge. Currently Peter is a partner at the Healdsburg Emporium where he does the beer and wine purchasing. He is also the wine buyer at Fircrest Market in Sebastopol and the administrator of the NorCal Beer Geeks group on Facebook.

Beer is a big business in this part of the world, with some of the best and most sought-after brews made right in our own back yard. But too often that beer culture is hidden behind the iconic wine industry that defines the region. The Beer Country blog will bring you news and notes about our local brew scene, and maybe a little about cider while we’re at it. Have news, ideas, or questions that need answering? Drop a line in the comments section of the blog or email us at info@pressdemocrat.com